Wednesday, November 18, 2009

If You Liked: The Goose Girl

Then You'll Also LikeGraceling by Kristen Cashore

This may seem like a strange choice, since The Goose Girl is a fairy tale retelling and Graceling is a unique fantasy. But, upon closer inspection, I think you may find many similarities here. And if you've enjoyed The Goose Girl, I could almost guarantee that you will also enjoy Graceling. Both stories involve a girl, gifted with certain abilities that tie her down. Ani doesn't quite fit in with her royal family, where as Katsa also has a burden to bear under an oppressive king. Both women, through tough circumstances, find the way to their destinies. Both are young girls who grow into strong women through experience, learning to come to terms with their faults by necessity--Ani, shy and reserved, and Katsa, skeptical and introverted.

I also found Cashore's and Hale's writing styles to be fairly similar, although not entirely the same. They both are able to paint breathtakingly beautiful pictures with words. I was carried away by both of these novels, and I think, if you give them a try, you won't be able to help it either.

flags

I, like many, do not like to be told what I can or cannot read.
Most books are going to have some language, a little innuendo (because, in fact, sex does exist), and at least one serious theme. I’m not going to point out every single little thing I come across, but I have found, on several occasions, that it would have been nice to know, before I cracked the cover, some of the flags. There are two levels for each category. So, there you are. Make of them what you will.